THURSDAY, Aug. 10, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol consumption and risky drinking behaviors are common among cancer survivors, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in JAMA Network Open.

Mengyao Shi, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues characterized alcohol consumption patterns among U.S. cancer survivors. Data were included for 15,199 participants who reported a cancer diagnosis and for 1,839 patients receiving treatment.

The researchers found that 77.7 percent of cancer survivors were current drinkers, including 13.0, 23.8, and 38.3 percent who exceeded moderate drinking, reported binge drinking, and engaged in hazardous drinking, respectively. Survivors who were younger than 65 years, men, those of Hispanic ethnicity, those who received a diagnosis before age 18 years, and ever smokers were more likely to exceed moderate drinking (odds ratios: 2.90 for age younger than 50 years, 1.84 for age 50 to 64 years, 2.38 for men, 1.31 for Hispanic ethnicity, 1.52 for age younger than 18 years at diagnosis, 2.46 for former smokers, and 4.14 for current smokers) or binge drinking (odds ratios: 4.46, 2.15, 2.10, 1.31, 1.71, 1.69, and 2.27, respectively) after multivariable adjustment. The likelihood of being hazardous drinkers was increased for those diagnosed before age 18 years and for former and current smokers (odds ratios: 1.52, 1.83, and 2.13, respectively). Of those survivors receiving treatment, 76.4 percent were current smokers, including 12.1, 23.4, and 38.4 percent who exceeded moderate drinking, reported binge drinking, and engaged in hazardous drinking, respectively.

“Given the short- and long-term adverse treatment and oncologic outcomes associated with alcohol consumption, additional research and implementation studies are critical to address this emerging concern among cancer survivors,” the authors write.

Two authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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